Chapter 651

As a result, Shirou and his friends simply started strolling around as if it were perfectly normal.

After circling around, Shirou walked up to the kitchenware counter and started talking to the shop assistants there.

Rin Tohsaka's lips twitched slightly. "As expected of Amamiya- san, she hasn't changed at all..."

At the counter, Shirou ignored the stunningly beautiful woman and married woman beside him and started chatting with the enthusiastic salesperson about kitchenware.

His expression clearly showed more interest than before.

The scene was reminiscent of Aristoteles and Plato discussing philosophy in "The School of Athens".

Twenty minutes later, Shirou left the counter satisfied, carrying a complete set of cookware.

Their shopping trip seemed to have come to an end there.

After that, Shirou, Rider, and Aoi Tohsaka boarded the bus back to Miyama Town.

The girls finished their pursuit and rested at an open-air cafe in the shopping mall.

"So... senpai, Rider, and Aunt Tohsaka just went shopping together? Not on a date?"

"That's the only way to put it, right? After all, Shirou bought a whole set of cookware..."

Sakura Matou and Illya finally realized that they had misunderstood Shirou and felt somewhat ashamed.

"Senior, are you planning to replace your cookware at home? It's still working perfectly, and I'm a little reluctant to part with it."

However, my brother broke the pots and pans at home the other day when he used them to cook something weird...

"No, I think I understand now."

The other two looked at her and noticed that Rin Tohsaka cleared her throat in a pretentious manner.

"Elder sister?"

"What's wrong, Rin?"

Rin Tohsaka spoke slowly with a solemn expression.

"I now understand everything, the cause and effect of this incident."

"An incident?" Illya blinked.

The girl with black twin tails nodded, then narrowed one eye and pointed at someone present.

"The culprit is you, Sakura Matou."

"Wait... wait a minute! A prisoner or something... sister, what are you suddenly saying..."

Sakura Matou looked uneasy; clearly, she didn't know what bad thing she had done.

Rin Tohsaka smiled mysteriously and asked.

Sakura, when is your birthday?

The sudden question startled the purple-haired girl for a moment, "Uh, it's next week's..."

"Ah."

Illya reacted quickly.

In other words--

Shirou, Rider, and Aoi Tohsaka are here today to pick out a birthday present for Sakura Matou!

"Huh? Is... that's how it is?"

Sakura Matou's eyes widened.

A few seconds later--

"Really! Don't use such a misleading term as 'prisoner'!"

Rin Tohsaka quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Sakura... I just said that because of the atmosphere."

The purple-haired girl puffed out her cheeks cutely. "Sister is really mean... But what exactly happened?"

Rin Tohsaka countered, "I'm asking you, Sakura... did you mention that high-end dessert shop to Rider?"

"..."

Sakura Matou frowned and thought for a while.

"Ah, um... I think I mentioned it to Rider a while ago..."

I wanted to try it because of its great reviews, but it was too expensive, so I didn't decide to buy it in the end...

That must have been a long time ago...

Sakura Matou was somewhat at a loss. She had only mentioned it casually, but Rider had remembered it all this time.

Illya poked her chin. "That dress they bought was probably also a biological gift for Sakura."

Rin Tohsaka nodded. "It's normal that the style doesn't match Rider and Mother, after all, it was bought for Sakura."

The same reason applies to not trying it on, since the dress wasn't originally bought for them.

That was a birthday present that Sakura's mother prepared for her.

"Mother... Aunt Tohsaka prepared a gift for me."

Sakura Matou stared blankly, then spoke loudly as if to deny something.

"Wait, wait a minute! Something's definitely not right! I wasn't here, so how would the seniors know if the clothes they bought fit?"

"Doesn't Rider live with you? She must have secretly checked your size, right?" Illya said.

But Rin Tohsaka shook her head. "The person who provided Sakura's size... was Amamiya- kun."

"Why...?"

Do you remember the questions your mother asked Amamiya before she asked the shop assistant to bring you the clothes?

At that time, they were probably asking about your size.

"..."

Sakura Matou's face turned deathly pale. "Senpai... you actually know my measurements..."

Even if it's your favorite senior, wouldn't you want him to know about your physical development...?

Whew, Sakura is so cute, Rin Tohsaka thought to herself.

Sakura Matou covered her face. "My senpai found out about my waistline! I don't want to live anymore!"

Is this the main point?

Rider plans to give Sakura Matou a chocolate gift box, Aoi Tohsaka plans to give Sakura Matou a new outfit.

Finally, Shirou chose a cookware set as a gift for his junior.

"I feel a little sorry for Sakura."

For my 16th birthday, I received a whole set of kitchen utensils from my respected senior. Could there be a gift less feminine than this?

"Something must have happened regarding this, right?"

After Rin Tohsaka asked that question, Sakura Matou nodded.

"I complained to my senior earlier that my brother broke the pot at home."

"That's how it is, so Sakura, don't be too discouraged. At least Amamiya is seriously considering your troubles."

Rin Tohsaka patted her sister on the shoulder, and the latter nodded resolutely.

"Of course, I will be very happy no matter what my senior gives me."

"I will cherish this as a priceless treasure for the rest of my life, thanks to my senior."

"Then let me use it."

"If you dare to break your senior's pot... hehe, hehehe..."

Sakura Matou revealed a poignant and dark smile.

Passersby in the open-air coffee shop felt a sudden, inexplicable chill.

"Right, right... This is a rare opportunity, let's pick out a gift for Sakura too!"

Rin Tohsaka made this suggestion, which immediately received Illyasviel's support.

"No problem, remember to return the favor, Sakura."

By the way, my birthday is November 20th, and I'd like a cute plush toy that I can cuddle with while sleeping.

Rin Tohsaka sighed, "Making it a condition for receiving a return gift... I'm telling you..."

"What's wrong with that? That's just how my relationship with you all is."

Illya put her hands behind her back, turned around and gave the two of them a sly smile.

"I have a feeling that one day I will return to my original position."

By then...

Whether it's Tohsaka or Matou, they will both be defeated by me in the end— Shirou will be mine.

"Hmph, you really dare to say that." Rin Tohsaka downed her coffee in one gulp.

"My senior won't hand it over to you so easily." Sakura Matou quickly followed.

Volume 9: The Assassin Shirou of 405

Spring break is here again.

Starting next month, Shirou will be a second-year high school student.

In other Parallel World, it seems that a new Holy Grail War will break out soon.

However, thanks to Shirou's efforts ten years ago, this world has managed to avoid the Fifth Holy Grail War.

After returning from Uruk, Shirou enjoyed a peaceful student life, and nothing related to Magecraft or mystery occurred again.

Artoria never appeared again after that declaration of war.

Shirou knew her personality; she would never give up easily.

You must also be prepared.

A comfortable life can make the body sluggish, so Shirou never missed a day of training, not even during spring break.

At six o'clock in the morning, he sat quietly in the kendo dojo, meditating.

I don't know when it started, Shirou stopped holding a sword during his morning practice.

There's no need for that anymore; the body made that judgment on its own.

The practice content shifted from "real combat" to "imagination".

Simply close your eyes, and past battle records will appear before your eyes.

Fairies, Magical Beast, Magecraft, Heroic Spirit, Dead Apostle, Dragon Kind, gods, the Holy Grail War, Singularity...

Shirou endlessly repeats the battle in his imagined world.

Occasionally, Shirou will encounter enemies he has never met before.

Shirou felt that it was a memory he was unaware of.

Just like the "Blades of Chaos" and the "Enma-Blade".

Those memories were not things he had personally experienced, but rather fragments of memories that had been hidden deep within his soul since he came into this world.

"Senior! Breakfast is ready!"

The voice of his junior came from outside the dojo. Shirou opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

Before we knew it, an hour had passed.

Although it was just meditation, the physical exertion was no less than wielding a real sword all day.

Shirou, sitting in the center of the dojo, was drenched in sweat, his clothes completely soaked.